Harvard Sues Trump Administration Over $2.2 Billion Funding Freeze

Harvard University sued the Trump administration on Monday, seeking an immediate halt to the federal government's freeze of more than $2.2 billion in grant funding.

The legal action increases the intensifying standoff between one of the country's premier academic institutions and the White House, following President Trump's call for far-reaching reforms at the Ivy League university.

Harvard President Alan Garber made a statement stating, "During the past week, the federal government took a number of steps in response to Harvard's denial to acquiesce in its illegal requests." He further added, "Just now, we sued to stop the freeze in funding because it is illegal and outside the power of the government."

The lawsuit, which was filed in Boston federal court, listed multiple U.S. government agencies such as the Departments of Education, Health, Justice, Energy, and the General Services Administration. Harvard claimed that the government did not provide any reasonable link between issues of antisemitism and the frozen research funding, which it had characterized as essential to U.S. medical, scientific, and technological developments.

The university also argued, "The Government has not — and cannot — find any rational relationship between antisemitism concerns and the medical, scientific, technological, and other research it has frozen that will save American lives, promote American success, secure American security, and keep America a global leader in innovation." It also emphasized that the freeze would have far-reaching implications for its research programs and the national interest in promoting progress and innovation.

Last week, the Trump administration wrote a letter to Harvard demanding significant overhauls at the university, such as changes in its government and leadership structure, adjustments to its admissions practices, and an evaluation of diversity efforts on campus. The government also requested that the recognition of certain student clubs cease. As a countermove, President Garber reported that the university would not yield to the government's requests to stop campus activism, and several hours later, the government froze billions in federal funding.

The public battle escalated to record levels last week when President Trump openly criticized Harvard, labelling it a "joke" and a "disgrace." He charged the university with not being able to deal with antisemitism, while at the same time endorsing "woke" ideology. "They're anti-Semitic and suddenly they're beginning to act," Trump said, as he continued his attack on what he called Harvard's "all-woke" staff.

On Tuesday, Trump went on Twitter to issue threats of additional punitive measures, threatening to force Harvard to lose its tax-exempt status unless it stopped advocating for what he described as "political, ideological, and terrorist-inspired/supporting sickness." According to reports, the IRS has already started proceedings to audit the university's nonprofit status, a step that would have serious financial consequences for the university at a cost of millions of dollars a year.